Encouraging family members to eat healthy

BridgetteH27 · March 2014

Hi, I have started my weight lose journey but am finding it hard to get the rest of my family to eat healthy options too. As my partner and four step child are very fussy in what they eat, two in particular are very picky. Any suggestions on how I can help convert my family to eating healthy foods with out seeming like I am forcing them too or should I just make two separate meals. One for my self, one for the rest of them and hope they will eventually eat the same thing? I have to pick certain food for my family as one has asperges and certain food trigger eposides, one is ADHD and one is hyper active, they can not have anything with preservatives, additives, colour unless natural. Any ideas?

RaggedyAnnazon · March 2014

Bonus: They already can't have a lot of stuff that is unhealthy for them.

Question: What kind of picky are we dealing with? I've dealt with a few kinds.

My husband wouldn't eat nearly any vegetation, he'd eat what I like to call "man foods" (aka steak, potatoes, more meat, some more meat, and the occasional peas, cauliflower and broccoli)

I had a friend who wouldn't eat anything that looked like it was healthy, unless is was mexican food (which made since, he and his family were mexican). So litrally if it wasn't mexican, ramen, or pizza bites, you were outta luck.

Then I have a BIL who would only eat fruits and veggies raw, but never ever cooked. And from there is was meat and carbs all the way.

Then my mom won't eat anything new, or typically with the word "organic" in it. She complains when we have our meat free days, and is wary of anything involving a leafy green other than spinach or regular lettuce.

Just a few examples. If you can give me a better idea of what kind of picky I can help.

mkcmurphy · March 2014

I usually eat what they do, but measure out my portions or omit certain things. On occasion, like Movie Night, I skip the pizza altogether and make my own meal.

Good luck!

sargessexyone · March 2014

I have picky eaters as well. My wife for the most part will eat anything I put in front of her. I can never really tell what my 19 yr old will eat. My 5 yr old is picky too and eats very little meat. My 19 yr is old enough, if she doesn't like what I fix then she finds herself something to eat. Because my 5 yr old is obviously to young to fend for himself I often will have to fix him something different.

A lot of times I don't tell them I'm making healthy food. For example with most ground beef recipes I will use ground turkey and they can never tell the difference. The same goes for low fat or low calorie foods like condiments. You can't tell the difference if it's mixed with something.

BridgetteH27 · March 2014

Hi, I have have the youngest boy he will only eat sausages. Thats like basically it and not any other meats, he will eat beef spaghetti bog on very rare occasion, but no other mince dishes, and will only eat turkey occasionally but like I said sausages is all he will eat.

Unless vegetables are done and extra well hidden the children will not eat it. But on the other hand put fruit salad out and it gone in a blink of an eye.

My fiancé (hyperactive/ more so as a child though/ absolutely everything had to be homemade) loves his meat and usually like more meat on his plate instead of vegetables and salad. Most of the time he would rather eat deep fried foods or pas try's for lunch instead, because the convince of buy it hot. Curries, anything pretty much smothered in chilli, curry and galic is found in his diet along with hot chip, cheese and gravy.

Our eldest is 17years old and just eats anything in site. (Asperges). Our 10year old is ADHD and has to watch very carefully, so many foods trigger eposides and our 8. Year old is like his father a massive meat eater. I have a massive issues with all children and my fiancé because they have no idea what a portion is and when I cut meals back they think I am trying to starve them. They want food ever half an hour. It's never ending. I am trying to find wholesome foods that will starve off hunger ness and restrict them to eating every 3 hours or 7am breakfast, 10am morning tea, 1pm lunch, 4pm afternoon tea, 6.30dinner/dessert. Basically similar times to what school eating times are. All drink plenty of water, no cordial, minimal soft drinks and they enjoy having milk. I prefer not the have sugar cereals, snacks, drinks, desserts and junk foods in the house, unless it's a special occasion, the less prepack and more fresh food in the house better. As I am the main shopper in this house hold it is so hard to try and keep everyone happy with what brought home. It's also a struggle when the children don't understand their is a very limited budget in our house hold with only one income coming in. Having to make a lot of food from home is a struggle because, they also say they want what there friend have in the 'special brought packets'. Eg. Tiny teddies, shapes, museli bars, roll ups etc.

BridgetteH27 · March 2014

I will try substituting some food on special occasions. Thanks

kgeyser · March 2014

I don't put everyone else in my family on a diet just because I want to lose some weight. I make one main dish and an option of sides that people can pick and choose from.

Last night we had pork chops (main dish), veggies (side), homemade mac n' cheese (side), and brown rice with quinoa (side). My husband had pork chops and mac n' cheese because he doesn't like vegetables, my 6-year-old had pork chops, veggies, and mac n'c cheese because she doesn't like quinoa, I had pork chops, veggies, and rice with quinoa. My almost two-year-old maybe ate some cantaloupe, because she's in that constant motion/grazing stage.

Cyclingbonnie · March 2014

I don't require that people eat what I prepare, but I do not prepare special meals for others unless it is their birthday. My children are grown as well as my grandchildren … don't get to see the greats nearly often enough. I try to mix things up and throw in a meal here and there that would not fall into the "healthy" definition.

My mother-in-law lives with us and also has that "organic" reaction too. I wish you could see how she screws up her face when she says it. She grew up on a farm and didn't eat anything they hadn't raised themselves until she was almost 20 and I really think that is why she is 93 and going strong … she doesn't see it that way. She thinks "organic" is something that "hippies" eat.

She and my husband do not have a weight issue and don't feel like a meal is complete without something sweet. I keep a supply of fruit pies (in the south we call them fried pies don't know what others call them). Luckily I don't care for them and it solves that dilemma. Good luck!

RaggedyAnnazon · March 2014

Usually what I will do is make a dish as simply as possible and then add things for my plate vs. everyone elses. With my husband, Id make a italian pork and noodle soup. So for his portion I'd cook the meat, set some aside for him, cook the noodles, set some aside for him, and then make the soup itself. Then he could either add some of the liquid from the soup or just add whatever else he'd like.
With my Mom, I make a meal and cook extra veggies on the side. So like tonight I'm making peroies with saurkraut and kelbasa. But I'm also making some peas and beet greens for me. So I'll end up having less preogies and kelbasa then her, but more vegetables.

Also with mixing veggies in, if you can puree them and add them to strong flavored soups or sauces I'd do that (spinach anyone?)
As for you little sausage guy, there are some chicken and turkey sausages out there that almost taste like the beef. Maybe try those?

Other stuff like butter, (sorry if this sounds harsh) make them add it themselves at the table onto their own plates and if they don't like it tough. Once they see you making better choices individually, and they realize they could make the same choices and see you're progress, you might just get them to make better choices by example.

bcattoes · March 2014

I'm old school ... okay, I"m just old ... but my philosophy is "This is not a restaurant. Eat what I serve or go hungry." That's the way I was raised, that's the way I raised my children, that's the way I feed my grandchildren when they stay over. I get few complaints though because I'm a good cook.

Encouraging family members to eat healthy

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